Recreation
by Oinkadoink
Summary: Three-parter focusing on the Airbending kids' relationships with their new neighbors. Complete.
1. Bolin & Ikki

With her airbending training completed for the day, Korra decided she would take a stroll by herself. The island was beautiful in the evening, and spending all morning with a very frustrated Tenzin and some exceptionally hyper children had left her with a burning desire for some solitude. Despite all her efforts to be alone, Korra's walk was quickly interrupted when she heard her named called by the most energetic child in the city.

"Hi, Korra! You look bored. How are you? Where are you going?"

Korra exhaled and tried not to roll her eyes as she turned towards Ikki's voice. "Hi, Ikki. I was just..." Korra stopped short when she turned to face no one. "Ikki? Where are you?"

"Up here!"

Korra's eyes trailed up a nearby tree. There, hidden among a clump of red leaves, was a giggling Ikki. Korra cupped her hands to her mouth and called, "What are you doing up there?"

She was met with more giggles. "Bolin's trying to find me," Ikki finally disclosed, a slight blush rising to her cheeks, "We're playing a game where one of us counts to a certain number - Bolin's counting and he's counting to thirty - while the other person hides. I'm the one hiding, of course. Have you ever played it?"

"I'm aware of the concept," Korra tried to hide the exasperation in her voice, "Well, have fun. I'll see you later." As she turned around Korra heard a squeak from Ikki, but didn't understand its meaning until Bolin slammed into her at full speed.

"Ow, ow, ow," bumbled Bolin, "Oh, Korra! I'm so sorry!" His face turned a deep red as he helped her up, "Are you okay? I didn't see you!"

"I figured," Korra replied sarcastically, rubbing the spot where their foreheads had collided, "and I'm fine. But sheesh, did you have to _run_ like that? It's not like Ikki's going anywhere."

Bolin's embarrassment seemed to subside at those words, and he broke into a large grin, "You've seen Ikki?"

"Yeah," retorted Korra, a smirk playing on her lips despite herself, "but don't expect me to tell you where she is. That would ruin the fun!"

Korra chuckled as Bolin pouted, then bid adieu to her friend and continued on her way. She heard Bolin shout, "There you are," and held back a snort as Ikki shrieked in delight. It sounded as if Ikki had ran, or rather, flown away, and Korra eventually broke down into giggles at the sound of the two's tumults.

Ambling down a more concealed path, Korra quietly wondered if Ikki had coerced Bolin into entertaining her. Despite Bolin's childlike disposition, she was always surprised by how well the two of them got along. Ikki was relentless when she played, and Korra didn't know how Bolin found the energy. Still, though she could never tell if he clowned around with Ikki for the girl's amusement or his own, she knew they always had fun together.

Korra heard that Bolin later stumbled into the main temple with his clothes in a wreck and twigs sticking from his hair. After giving a weak greeting to the acolytes staring at him, he passed out on some cushions in the foyer. Not even he, it seemed, could keep up with Ikki forever.


	2. Mako & Jinora

Seeing Jinora carrying around an armful of books was such a common sight around the island that few noticed or commented on it.

But seeing her carrying an armful of books from the boy's dormitories was more unusual, so when Korra witnessed this, she was rightfully curious. She walked over and asked, "Hey, Jinora, what're you doing down here?"

"Korra!" several books fell from the crook of Jinora's right arm: she had been buried in a separate text that she held with her other hand. Korra bent down to help her pick them up. "You startled me," Jinora muttered, clearly upset about having to put down her reading.

"Sorry," replied Korra, failing to hide her grin as she gathered books, "but seriously, why are you coming from the men's dorms? With a pile of books, no less?"

"I-I just let Mako borrow these from me a little while ago," stuttered Jinora, tactfully avoiding Korra's gaze, "and he's done reading them now. I was dropping off a few more for him and picking these up, that's all."

_So that's it_, Korra mused. It had seemed peculiar to her that Jinora would take such a shining to Mako. Korra thought the only thing the two had in common was an annoying habit of believing themselves to be smarter and more sensible than anyone they associated with. _Huh, so Mako likes books. _Korra froze momentarily, a copy of _Origins of the Harmony Restoration Movement_ hung in the air from her hand, then repeated her thought aloud, "Wait. Mako likes _books_?"

"Yep," Jinora brightened, "he's already tore through a fifth of my collection. And he's finally agreed to read one of my _favorite_ light novels!"

Korra blinked and, when the absurdity of what she had just discovered finally hit her, burst into raucous laughter. Folding her arms and tapping her foot to the ground, Jinora huffed, "What's so funny?"

"It's just," Korra wiped her eyes, clutching her stomach, "Mako. Reading. It's just so..." she struggled to find word suitable to relay to a child, and settled on, "namby-pamby!"

Jinora rolled her eyes, "Is not. Y'know, a lot of these books have stuff about _you_ in them."

"You mean my past lives. Not me," Korra retorted, turning over a text to look at the cover. "Hold on a second, this book..." she examined the others she held, "these are all non-fiction! He's reading history books for_ fun_?"

"You know, some of us like learning," countered Jinora, snatching the book from her hand.

"Dweebs, maybe," Korra mumbled until she saw Jinora's fallen face. Reading was such a big part of the little girl's life, and Korra had clearly hurt her feelings. "Sorry," she hurriedly apologized.

The two awkwardly stood proximate to each other for a few moments. It still felt bizarre to Korra that Mako would find an interest in books. _"These are all non-fiction!"_ She paused. It occurred to her that Mako probably never had a formal education. She wondered if he regretted it, or felt embarrassed by his lack of knowledge. Jinora _had_ tried to be pretty dismissive when Korra first asked why she carried the books from Mako's room; maybe she was in his confidence on this subject.

Korra felt even worse than before. "I'm sorry, Jinora," she murmured.

Jinora shook her head. "It's alright. I know books aren't really something you're into." She put on a smug look. "I feel the same way about pro-bending."

Korra grinned. "Now wait just a second!" Jinora chuckled.

All was forgiven; the two hugged and departed, and Korra promised herself not to tease Mako when she next encountered him. Which, as it turned out, would be extremely difficult; when she finally saw him at dinner that night he was animatedly chatting with Jinora about the plot intricacies of _Love Amongst the Dragons. _She decided that there was no big conspiracy when it came to this subject.

Mako simply liked reading.


	3. Asami & Meelo

After a strenuous day of training, Korra had been ready to take Naga for a relaxing excursion around Republic City. But on the way to the docks were the greenhouses, and when she heard thumps and crashes coming from one of them, she knew she would have to investigate.

"Stay here, girl," she commanded Naga, then sauntered into the glass hut. The hums of a laughing little boy told her all she needed to know.

"Korra!" Meelo bounced from atop a hanging plant, knocking it to the ground. He seemed oblivious to it as he grabbed the girl's hand, guiding her to the far-left corner of the building. "Korra, look!" He thrust a fistful of chard and spinach into her face.

"Um... great," Korra spit a leaf from her mouth, "Should you be in here, Meelo?"

"I'm making a bouquet for the princess," Meelo replied, gently arranging the leaves in his hand.

"A bouquet? A bouquet of vegetables?" Korra paused for a moment before answering herself, "Oh yeah, winter." In a community of vegetarian monks, food came before flowers during wintertime. "So... you're giving Asami... vegetables?"

"Yep," Meelo bobbed up and down on his heels, "because she's pretty, and pretty girls like pretty things." He stopped, concern suddenly filling his face. He eyed Korra and asked, "Asami will like it, right?"

Korra smiled, "Of course she will."

Meelo looked thoughtful. "If she doesn't like it, she can always eat it. Do pretty girls like to eat?"

"Yes, pretty girls _love_ food," chuckled Korra, "Want me to help you?"

A quick nod told her that, yes, Meelo would like some help, and Korra began pawing through different greens. Truthfully, she was doing this for Asami as much as she was for Meelo; the girl had gone through so much recently, and guilt still twisted in Korra's stomach every now and then for her hand in Asami's troubles. So if she had the opportunity to help a little boy bring a smile to Asami's face, she would take it.

Meelo, as it turned out, had great aesthetic sensibilities, and it wasn't long before Korra found herself simply picking leeks and beets and celery as directed by the boy. As Meelo, his tongue tasting his upper lip, meticulously arranged the vegetables, Korra pondered what made this hyperactive nutball sit so still. Asami brought out the best in him, not simply by her beauty, but by her kindness. She was the sort of person who took the time to get to know people, even a wild five-year-old airbender like Meelo.

When he had finally completed the bouquet, Korra accompanied Meelo to meet Asami. They found her by the bay, and when she turned looking disconsolate the knots in Korra's gut wrapped themselves even tighter than before.

But the way Asami beamed when Meelo handed her his gift made the guilt ease just a little bit.

* * *

_fin._


End file.
